


Southern Hospitality

by SmolDargon



Series: Adventures in Anatomy [16]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Vacation Time!, cultural experience, might change the name of the series to include culture lol, mild saucy humor, not a lot of anatomy in this one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 06:00:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30084546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmolDargon/pseuds/SmolDargon
Summary: The human and the Gaster brothers take a trip to her hometown for Mardi Gras!
Relationships: Papyrus/Original Human Character
Series: Adventures in Anatomy [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2205429
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	Southern Hospitality

**Author's Note:**

> Another cultural exploration rather than an anatomy discussion. Not gonna lie, it was an excuse to take the boys to Sci-Port. LOVE that place! (It's largely just narration... I really suck at writing dialogue with multiple characters. I'm sure I'll get better in the future, and I may even rewrite this or expand it and break it into parts. For now, just enjoy!)

The four friends got out of the car, stretching the stiffness from their limbs. It had been a _long_ drive; something like sixteen hours. And between Papyrus and the human, they had insisted on making the trip in one day, stopping only for fuel and snacks. The human had gone a whole day consuming nothing but caffeinated drinks, and none of them had had a hot meal since leaving home. They had been concerned about this, of course, but she assured them that she had made the trip in the same manner when she originally moved to the coast. They went to retrieve their bags from her car's trunk, but she stopped them, reminding them that they were staying in the trailer on the property, and her cousin would likely want to feed them before they bedded down. She went toward the house alone.

"My cousin has several dogs. They're polite to visitors, but if you barge in uninvited, they might try to get you. Let me go in first and I'll bring them out to meet you."

The three skeletons agreed, and within a few minutes, she was coming back out the rear door with no less than four dogs cavorting excitedly around her. There were two small, red ones--one stocky with a stub tail and the other long and lean with a long tail--a massive, overweight, black one, and a larger, blonde one with a stub tail. They barked at the skeletons immediately, but the human gently shushed them, walking over and introducing everyone.

"Missy will avoid you the whole time, Vincent and Ellie will warm up to you, but Bob will try to nip you if you grab at anything. We will keep them all shut in the yard at night. In the house, let me get the doors and such, ok?"

It wasn't the most comforting idea, but they trusted her. After all, she had spent years roaming this property; it was where she learned to ride. Her cousin was probably the person she was closest to, and she had seemed excited by the idea of finally meeting the skeletons. As they made their way inside, they encountered a short, stocky woman apparently finishing dinner preparations. She was shorter than their human, though only by a couple inches, and older than they expected; she had to be in her sixties or seventies. Her hair was short, almost buzzed to her head, and a salt and pepper color.

"Hey, guys! You must be the famous skeleton brothers I keep hearing about, it's good to finally meet you! I'm Shirley!"

She offered them each handshakes and told them to wash up for dinner, all in her polite southern drawl. They did so, and sat at the dining room table. It was a simple meal, as befitting nearly eight at night, but delicious and filling. They made small talk during the meal, talking about their professions, and how they knew the human. Shirley told several embarrassing stories from when the human was learning to ride. Apparently, she had spent more time falling off than they initially realized. The human blushed, shaking her head and barely defending herself. Most of her blunders were entirely preventable, it seemed. Her strict adherence to policy and routine suddenly made a lot of sense.

They thanked her for the meal and the accommodations, Papyrus and the human going to the kitchen to wash the dishes. Sans and Wingdings stayed to swap more embarrassing stories.

"IT CERTAINLY WAS NICE OF YOUR COUSIN TO PUT US UP FOR THE TRIP!"

The human smiled, "Yeah, she's the epitome of southern hospitality. She's the reason I always keep tea and lemonade on hand for unexpected guests."

He looked slightly doubtful for a moment.

"You're Certain She Doesn't Mind That We're... Monsters?"

She responded softly, "Shirley doesn't mind. She's been around the world working for General Motors, this isn't her first time encountering people from a different culture. Unfortunately, most of the people she rides with are.... less forward thinking. I've already made it clear to her that I want nothing more to do with them."

"And She's Ok With That?"

"I'm an adult. I can decide who I want to be around. She and I are both very blunt people, we understand each other."

He nodded, that was a fair explanation.

Before long, it was time for them to retire to bed. Sans was only awake because he had slept most of the way there. They bid Shirley goodnight, thanking her for the meal, and followed the human back to the door. She led them outside, grabbing their bags from her trunk, and moving towards the barn, and the large trailer parked under the awning. They had at first thought it was a horse trailer, but she opened a side door into the small living quarters.

"I'm sorry it's so small, but we figured this was safer than worrying Bob would go for you if you got up for the bathroom in the night or something. He's.... a really good guard dog. The bed is up in the gooseneck, and the couch flattens out also. I'll sleep wherever, you guys can sort it out."

With that, she set her bag down, fishing out her toiletries and disappearing into what had at first appeared to be a closet with a sliding door. It turned out to be a small bathroom. In the end, they decided that Papyrus and the human could share the bed in the gooseneck, Sans would sleep on the couch, and Wingdings would sit on the edge of the couch and work on his laptop. He barely slept, sometimes going days at a time with no rest. He had apparently always been like that.

"i gotta admit, it looked bigger on the outside.", Sans mumbled.

"That's because you're only seeing half of it.", the human quipped.

She went into the bathroom, opened a panel that they hadn't even realized could open, and stepped aside. They had been right the first time; it _was_ a horse trailer. It just happened to also have living quarters in the front. It was actually rather impressive. After the long drive, they were all tired and ready to call it a day. Before long, they were all in their pajamas, and contentedly resting.

\------------------------------

They awoke the next morning refreshed. The trailer was surprisingly comfortable. The human had, for once, been up and about before Papyrus. She stepped out into the already warm morning, only closing the screen door behind her. Shirley was also up, and the two of them set about feeding the horses and chickens. By the time the rest of them had gotten moving, the human was mucking the stalls while her cousin had gone in to start breakfast. They were previously unaware that the human could drive a tractor, much less that she could back it up to within inches of the surrounding structures without so much as scratching anything. It seemed she'd had lots of practice. She called Bob to her, and he followed her as she drove the tractor up the driveway, taking the mess from the stalls with them, and also leaving the brothers free to wander into the house without worrying that Bob would go after them.

She rejoined them for breakfast, and once they had eaten, they all discussed plans for the day. Shirley had some last-minute things to take care of, and the human wanted to show the brothers around her home city. It was much larger than the town they lived in, and she had picked a few highlights for them to explore. They would regroup around dinnertime at a local Cajun restaurant, one of the human's favorites.

It was a fun day; they did a fair bit of driving and sightseeing, stopping at the boardwalk across the river, and exploring downtown. It was indeed a much busier and larger city than their home, but the human seemed perfectly comfortable. They got plenty of stares; monsters largely stayed near Mt. Ebott, so to see them halfway across the country was a shock to a lot of people. One group decided to heckle them, but the human simply responded with an obscene gesture, waving them off as though they weren't worth her time. It worked, shockingly.

After lunch at a local chain named after a dog (a southern "rite of passage", she claimed), the human took them to a place she was particularly fond of as a child, an interactive science exhibition. Sci-port was a popular field trip destination for local elementary schools, but it was summertime, and most everyone there was simply enjoying the exhibits. Wingdings was enamored with the physics displays, and when they saw the planetarium, Sans looked like a kid in a candy shop. They were frightened at first with the animal displays; especially when the human pointed out that several of those snakes were poisonous. They did get a good laugh out of her frightened squeak when she discovered a tarantula in one of the enclosures. She refused to get within five feet of the thing, much to their amusement. There was a presenter in an alcove, apparently having just finished a talk about something called an "alligator". He was holding a live specimen in his hands, its snout gently banded shut for safety. He answered a few questions about the creatures, and the brothers tentatively petted it, recoiling at the foreign texture of its scales. They decided it wasn't so scary, until the human informed them that the specimen was only a baby, and the adults got _much_ larger.

They wandered into another area, this one housing an exhibit on the human body. It was arguably the most fascinating display they had seen that day. The display consisted of mounted exhibits that had been taken from _actual deceased humans_. There was a complete circulatory system in a case, life-sized. Near it, was a complete nervous system and brain, mounted in the same fashion. The human looked positively delighted, explaining in detail how these systems worked inside their bodies. After the initial shock, the brothers were overcome with curiosity, asking the human and nearby staff multitudes of questions. Afterwards, she took them to the IMAX theater in the building, which was showing, oddly enough, a film on human physiology. It was an incredible experience, and apparently wasn't over yet. She took them to the second story they hadn't even realized existed, where most of the exhibits were hands-on. For _hours_ they wandered, having the time of their lives. There was another human anatomy section here. Apparently the one downstairs was a traveling exhibit and currently on loan, while the upstairs one was a permanent part of the collection. It was, unlike the downstairs one, a hands-on experience. Their favorite was a sort of body puzzle. The pieces were shaped like human organs, and it was designed to show exactly how all the organs somehow fit neatly into the space of a small human. The brothers were a little unsure of how they felt about holding a replica liver in their hands, but the weirdness passed quickly.

Even though most of these exhibits were old news to the human, she seemed to be legitimately enjoying herself, smiling and laughing more freely than she had in a long time. That alone made the three of them happy they joined her on the trip.

Soon enough, it was time to leave. Shirley was expecting them at a restaurant across the river known as "Crawdaddy's". The human took the opportunity to explain how Shreveport and Bossier City were basically a single metropolitan unit, divided only by the Red River. Since the river changed courses over time, it resulted in some casinos actually switching sides, and thus the two cities fighting over who should be able to collect the tax revenue from them. She was unsure how the conflict was resolved, only caring that it was an interesting anecdote.

The restaurant in question had a patio, and Shirley had already beaten them there, securing a table. She greeted them again, hugging them all. It seemed she was indeed very friendly. The human had warned them ahead of time that she and her cousin were going to order crawfish, and had brought gloves for the brothers, since it was a very hands-on dining experience. She also warned them that crawfish were _spicy_. In the end, they decided to split a five pound platter, the human assuring them that she could finish it alone if they decided they didn't like it and wanted something different.

She hadn't been lying. After showing them how to eat the things, their first taste was.... entertaining. It was like Toriel's fire magic had been injected straight into the crustaceans, leaving them all reaching for their drinks, only to find that it didn't really do much to soothe the heat. The human and Shirley chuckled at their suffering, although it was easy to see that the human was suffering herself. Her eyes watered a little, and her upper lip was bright red from the irritation. Wingdings and Sans ended up having to order something different, but Papyrus was determined to stick with the human for this. The crawfish became easier to stomach as he went, and soon enough he was matching her in speed and efficiency.

It was a surprisingly enjoyable meal, all things considered. The five of them talked and laughed like old friends, and even teased each other gently, Sans and Wingdings for being unable to handle the spice, and Papyrus and the human for being one of the first interspecies couples. They tossed back several beers each (the human stuck to two and some soda since she was driving), and had a fantastic time.

\-------------------------

After washing up, they paid their bills and headed home. It was getting late, but because it was summertime, there were still a few hours left before nightfall. Shirley returned to the house, Sans and Wingdings joining her for more conversation. The human and Papyrus went out to the barn. The horses had apparently already eaten. He wandered behind her curiously, wondering what mischief she wanted to get into. She stepped into a side room, and returned with a bridle. He followed her into the stalls, watching as she approached a horse with an odd color pattern. The mare was copper with white hairs interspersed throughout, but her legs and belly had white splashed on them, as if someone had stood beneath her and thrown a bucket of white paint up at her. The human gently tied the bridle on, pushing the mare's dark mane out of the way. She was a small horse, he realized, her shoulder about level with the human's head. But he also knew that horses were strong creatures, and as light as he was, he doubted it would matter. The human led the horse out of the stalls and up to a mounting block, climbing on without a saddle and waiting for him to join her.

"ARE YOU SURE BAREBACK IS A GOOD IDEA? WHAT IF I FALL?"

She smiled at him, offering a hand.

"I won't let you fall. Stella is a smooth ride, and we aren't going fast. You're gonna love this, I promise."

He hesitated, but mounted up behind her. Stella didn't seem to mind the added weight. The human had mentioned that Shirley probably weighed about as much as the two of them; she was a stocky woman and Papyrus didn't add too much extra weight. He held on tightly at first, but relaxed as they got moving. Stella was indeed a smooth mover. They rode down the driveway, towards the rear of the property. He could see a bayou off to their left, and she followed the treeline around it. Around the side, she rode across a dirt dam that spanned the length of the bayou, ending in a gate.

"HOW DO YOU PLAN ON GETTING BACK ON ONCE YOU OPEN THAT?"

In answer, she rode Stella right up to the gate. He felt her leg gently bumping the horse's side, edging her closer until their knees touched the metal. The human simply reached forward, unhooking the chain, and then bumped the mare's side again, the horse using her weight to move the gate. She then turned the horse sharply around, grabbing the gate with her other hand, and sidepassing the horse and gate back into the closed position, reattaching the chain. It was pretty impressive to witness.

They were in a large pasture now, with a small herd of cattle grazing nearby. The human guided their shared mount along the path, the setting sun bright in their eyes. There was another gate ahead, but it was open, and led into another, much larger section of pasture. She hugged the treeline to the left, following it around to a culvert and another section of bayou.

"Hang on, and lean with me. This section is a little rough."

He did so, leaning back as Stella stepped down into the ditch, then forward as she drove up the other side. They found themselves skirting the edge of the bayou, heading through a wooded area. She followed a path he could barely see, navigating largely from memory and the fading light. A couple places were muddy, and she reminded him to lean forward a bit to keep themselves centered over Stella's center of gravity.

It was almost ethereal, how the heavy air and screeching frogs and insects could provide such a peaceful atmosphere. The only other sounds were Stella's hooves softly striking the dirt and leaf litter. The air smelled thickly of damp and dirt, but also something flowery, which the human identified as honeysuckle. Quite a bit of it grew on the fence line. He could see why she enjoyed it so much out here, and he certainly understood the similarities of the forest and field to their home.

They eventually left the forest, ending up on the other side of the pasture. She continued following the fence line, ending up on another path. They didn't follow it for long, as she turned off into what was apparently a cattle graveyard.

Stella snorted, apparently nervous. This set the human and Papyrus on edge. It was darker now, and while Papyrus could still see fairly well, he knew the human couldn't. There were noises in the brush that he didn't recognize. The human swiftly turned Stella around, the mare eager to oblige, riding her swiftly from the graveyard and returning to the path. The mare whirled around, head high, snorting loudly in apprehension. The human patted her neck gently. The three of them collectively jumped in surprise as a pack of strange animals darted from the graveyard, running off towards a different section of forest. Any other horse might have turned and run, but Stella stood firm, apparently nervous, but trusting that the human would keep them safe. Papyrus slowly realized that he was clinging tightly enough to his human that he could feel her ribcage expanding with her breath, his head firmly against her shoulder and neck.

The human relaxed, Stella slowly following suit.

"Hogs.", she shrugged.

It took Papyrus another minute to calm himself, but before long they were standing quietly on the path. The human gently tapped their mount's sides, and she moved calmly forward. The path apparently led back to the second gate they encountered.

"Hey, Papyrus?"

"YES?"

"You wanna try a faster speed?"

He balked, tensing.

"WITH NO SADDLE?! ARE YOU CRAZY? I'LL FALL OFF AND BREAK MY SKULL!"

She chuckled softly, patting his arm reassuringly.

"Trust me, you won't. I wasn't kidding about Stella being smooth. She's a gaited horse. She doesn't trot like mine do."

He thought for a moment, the horse having stopped during their conversation.

"You Promise It's Safe?"

"As safe as anything horse-related can be. Just hang on, remember to use your legs, I won't let you fall."

After a few moment of silence, he nodded into her neck, gripping her firmly. She grinned, urging Stella forward. Another gentle tap from her feet and some kissing to her got her moving faster, her head high and bobbing in time to her movements.

It was a strangely smooth gait, one that shimmied them side to side gently, with a very slight bounce to it. It was indeed fast, but not at all as rough as he expected. He managed to relax and lean into it as the human did. Even without a saddle, it was easy to stay on the horse. The running-walk carried them steadily back toward the first gate, arriving with only a tiny bit of daylight remaining.

They stopped for a moment, catching their breath.

"THAT WAS AMAZING!"

She laughed gleefully, nodding in agreement.

She once again guided Stella to the gate, this time letting Papyrus deal with the latch. His confidence grew stronger by the day, and she was glad to know she had some small part in it.

The rest of the ride was dark, lit only by the stars. It was a strange and beautifully still night, the heavy air only adding to its mystique. Perhaps he was a little biased; after all, he didn't really sweat. Meanwhile, the human's clothes were probably sticking to her in all the worst ways.

They arrived back at the barn, and the human put Stella back in her run, taking the bridle with her and putting it back in the tack room.

"I would change your pants before you sit anywhere, Paps."

"YOU KNOW I CAN'T ACTUALLY PISS MYSELF IN EXCITEMENT, RIGHT?"

"That's not why."

She turned around, and he snickered as he realized her entire backside and her inner legs were covered in dirt from the horse. Of course, he was just as dirty, but it was funnier seeing it on her, somehow.

It was a simple matter to change. Sans and Wingdings had come back a while ago, and teased them about being out late and taking a literal "roll in the hay". They both denied it, just saying they had a nice late evening ride. Sans and Dings only laughed harder at that one. Once more in their pajamas, they settled in for another night in the country.

\--------------------------------

The following day was the most eventful. It was something the human had referred to as "Fat Tuesday", and Shirley and the human chattered excitedly about their plans. None of them started until later in the afternoon, so the human and Shirley took the brothers out to the pasture for a joyride. Shirley drove Sans and Wingdings in a small clubcar, while the human and Papyrus rode double on a ATV. That took up most of their morning, and the lot of them lounged around the house for a little while, the human insisting on a shower.

Early afternoon, she and Shirley set about baking some sort of cake. The brothers watched with interest as the human hand mixed flour and yeast while Shirley heated milk, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Once the sugar dissolved, she added it to the dough mixture, the human kneading it in carefully, as it was hot. Shirley then added some eggs, flour, and softened butter to the dough. Tirelessly, the human continued to knead the mixture for several minutes, testing it occasionally to make sure it had the right moisture content. When Shirley was satisfied, the human turned the dough out onto the surface Shirley had floured, kneading it into a ball, and setting it into a bowl Shirley had greased. They covered it with saran wrap, and set it in the fridge to chill.

Almost an hour later, it was time to get started on the filling. Shirley involved the brothers this time, having Sans mix brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon in a bowl. Meanwhile, the human and Papyrus pulled the dough out, flattened it, cut it into three strips, and braided it, stretching it out and pressing the ends together into a circle. The ring was then covered and left to proof in the fridge while the oven was preheating.

Another hour later, Wingdings and Shirley put the cake into the oven, where it baked until it was golden. They let it cool for a bit before setting it onto a rack to finish cooling completely.

"Alright, girl, I bet that cake is cool enough to hide the baby in now."

The brothers looked confused and horrified. The human picked up a small, plastic baby, showing it to them, then took it into the kitchen, presumably to hide it in the cake.

"WHAT A STRANGE RITUAL! WHAT IS THE PURPOSE?"

Shirley shrugged, explaining, "The person who gets the slice with the baby in it is supposed to bring the king cake to the next event. Of course, with today being Mardi Gras, this is the last event. Our family's traditional belief is that whoever gets the baby in the last king cake will have a year of good fortune."

They nodded approvingly. Sure, it was a little strange, and the holiday as a whole was steeped in religion (which they knew the human typically stayed away from), but it still seemed like a fun thing to celebrate and enjoy with loved ones.

The three of them went back into the kitchen once the baby was hidden, and Shirley directed Papyrus on making the icing with powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Once the cake was iced, it was sprinkled with colored sugar, a section each in gold, purple, and green. The cake was finished, and set aside for later. It was almost time to leave for the main event: a parade.

Downtown Shreveport was always busy, but today was exceptionally so. They almost couldn't find parking for Shirley's big rig. As it was, they had a long walk ahead. But once they settled in, they knew they were in for a fun time.

They never had parades Underground. But up here, there were so many floats with a wide array of themes. There were bands, a mounted police unit, and some dance groups, too. All the people on the floats threw beaded necklaces and small trinkets into the crowd. For hours, the parade carried on, the people around loud and boisterous, and clearly having a good time. It was a bit much for Sans and Dings, but they suffered it, simply because of how much fun Papyrus and his human were having, and because they were unlikely to see this type of thing again, at least for a long while.

A few people got arrested for public indecency and public intoxication, but overall, it seemed like a fun event. As the last float came by, they made a break for the truck, hoping to beat most of the traffic out. It turned out to be a wise decision.

Back home, they had a traditional dinner consisting of boudin, jambalaya, rice, and several other delicious items. Afterwards, the king cake was served, along with a reminder to be careful, as there was a plastic baby inside somewhere. Much to their surprise and delight, Sans ended up with the baby. They toasted, had several beers over the evening, and generally made merry. Sleep came easily for them all at the end of the night.

\-------------------------------

Their last day in Louisiana was a rainy one. The human tromped around in her rain boots working on the morning chores. She surprised Papyrus when she noticed the horses' feed supply was empty. She simply turned, hefted a fifty pound sack of feed onto her shoulder, threw it into the bin, and pulled the tab, effortlessly spilling the feed into the previously empty storage bin. He hadn't realized her strength.

"YOU KNOW," he began tentatively, "I ONLY WEIGH AROUND FIFTY POUNDS."

She gave him an appraising look.

"Huh. You do, eh?"

A mischievous grin formed on her face, and she effortlessly hefted the skeleton onto a shoulder, carrying him like a sack of potatoes back into the house.

"I WAS THINKING A PRINCESS CARRY, BUT SURE, MANHANDLE ME A BIT MORE, WHY DON'T YOU.", he complained.

She just laughed, unlatching the gate, throwing open the back door, and flinging him onto the couch.

"Well, that's my exercise for the day! How do board games sound, Shirley?"

They all chuckled at the spectacle, Shirley reminding them that they hadn't even had breakfast yet. A stack of pancakes, bacon, eggs, and sausages later, they all sat around the dining table, Sans shuffling a deck of cards. It was just Uno, but they approached it with a seriousness. Game day was no game with the Gaster brothers. They were quite competitive.

The rain continued all morning, as did their games. Uno, SkipBo, and even Farkle all had their turn before lunch. Rather than cooking, they opted for sandwiches. After all, Shirley had done an awful lot of cooking for them the past few days. At some point, Papyrus grew restless, and began tackling the dishes they had left in the sink the previous night. Meanwhile, Shirley, Sans, and the human settled in for a midday nap. Dings sat on the back porch observing. He always had liked the rain.

Around midafternoon, they got back together to continue gaming. This time, they played some board games, with the usual degree of competitive edginess. The never argued for very long about anything, thankfully. Brothers or no, they respected Shirley far too much to get into an all out yelling match over a silly game.

Dinner was a boisterous affair, Papyrus insisting on helping to cook. It was a southern style meal, with biscuits, fried okra and chicken fried steak. The human, they noticed, ate her okra practically burnt. Apparently, she had always preferred it that way.

Once dinner was put away, Shirley took Papyrus with her to feed the animals. He expected to be grilled or threatened regarding his relationship with the human, but surprisingly, Shirley simply said she was happy such a nice young man was part of her cousin's life. Shirley admitted that the human had a rough upbringing, which was no surprise to Papyrus, but it intrigued him hearing it from someone else. Papyrus swore he would take good care of the human. Shirley gave him a bit of a look, saying, "I don't doubt you'll try. She's a big girl, she can handle herself. But you seem like just the type to walk beside her through it all. It's good for her to have someone to lean on. I think you'll be fine. You and yours are welcome here anytime."

He didn't think he would have to worry with her family accepting him, but knowing that they did was quite a load off his mind.

The evening was spent lounging on the porch, watching the rain, talking, and enjoying some adult beverages. It was a surprisingly calming way to end such a whirlwind trip. None of them were looking forward to the following day. It meant getting up hours before dawn, driving for a whole day, being stuck together... but they would manage. Maybe next time, they could take a plane.

All too soon, bedtime came for them, followed closely by the early morning hours and time to leave. Shirley, surprisingly, had been up, and cooked them a final breakfast, along with some snacks for the road. They bid her farewell, packed their bags, and prepared for the long trip back home.


End file.
